2nd Time ≠ Charm

It has been one month since my last post. This may not be apparent to you, but I actually have a very detailed plan of all the posts I need to do, so I’ve had this review on deck for quite some time. However, I have instituted a new rule that I try each latte 3 times before I post (just to be thorough), and it has honestly taken me this long to try The Coffee Trike 3 times. I think we can agree that says a lot about what I think of their latte… as well as my penchant for procrastination.

The first time I had The Coffee Trike (“CT”) was earlier this summer. My boss and I could not resist the quirkiness, and at the time I had just begun conducting my pre-blog latte search. After a brief chat with the Australian baristas, I was perplexed by my thoughts on the drink; I loved the flavor of the coffee, but there was something not quite… latte-y enough about it. After discussing it with my boss, we determined the problem: it was too milky. This was rather disappointing because the cup was only about 6 ounces – the coffee to milk ratio should have been very easy to achieve. Perhaps it was an off day, or a new barista… This consideration eventually led me to realize it may take more than one go to make a final judgment.

And here we are, 3 months later, and I only had my second latte from CT last week. The sad part is that it’s not all that far from my office, so I could most definitely have gone dozens of times by now… had I cared. To CT’s credit, I have recently been having a latte love affair with another shop near my office (review to come!), and it’s been a real struggle to try anything else. Still, I really enjoy “doing research” for this blog, so it’s no small thing that I’m only just writing this review.

Following my second taste test, I decided it probably wasn’t worth a third attempt. Again, the ratio of the drink was not ideal, even though I got a second shot. One might wonder if that speaks more to the coffee than the recipe, but I don’t think so. I’ve had a latte with weak espresso before, and I don’t remember being so overwhelmed by the milk. I’m starting to believe that Australians simply prefer a milkier latte than I do (although, this is quite contrary to the shop I adore that I mentioned earlier).

All this to say, I don’t think CT is bad. The espresso, while not as robust as I’d like, does offer a good boost of energy, and as I mentioned before it has a great flavor. CT uses Gracenote Coffee, a roasting company based in Boston, and I can tell they are developing some great flavor there. Lots of fruity, florally notes and a very light finish really make the espresso stand out once you get past all the milk.

I learned very recently that the owners of both CT and Gracenote are coming together to open a brick and mortar café in the Leather District, which really excites me. I have a feeling that the drinks will come together much more deliciously when crafted inside rather than outside. For now, I give the Coffee Trike a 5 out of 10, but I intend to make all 3 rounds at the new store once it’s open.

Otherwise, I should be back to posting once per week. I think very soon we’ll have a true contender for the South End Buttery… (I’m referring to that shop I’ve now mentioned 3 times. I’m veeery excited about it, in case you couldn’t tell.)